The present invention relates generally to packaging. Each product design also includes a package design to contain the product for shipping and delivery. Some of the design considerations for packaging include product display, mechanical protection and security for the product contained therein. Security is often a key element in package design for pharmaceuticals, foodstuffs and high-value items.
Security assures consumers that consumable items such as medicines have not been tampered with and that high-value items are genuine. Secure packaging for a consumable may take the form of a container with a frangible seal that is broken or deformed upon opening the container. Packages for high-value items may be closed with a seal that deforms upon opening the package. While such packaging may be described as “tamper proof,” they are generally “tamper evident.” Unfortunately, evidence of tampering requires a close and careful visual inspection of the package before and after it is opened. Accordingly, many tampered items go undetected if the visual inspection is not made or not made carefully.
Tampering can also be performed by more sophisticated methods. A person and/or a machine can carefully remove and replace seals on a package without deforming the seal enough for visual detection. In some cases, it is also possible to create counterfeit seals that appear visually identical. These counterfeit seals replace the original seals on the package after the product is tampered with or replaced.
Tampering may take several forms. It may involve the simple theft of the contents of a package, it may involve the substitution of counterfeit material for genuine material, or it may involve the malicious introduction of harmful material into the package. The parties performing the tampering generally are motivated by economic gain however they may have other ulterior motives as well. Consequently, while the theft of material from a package can lead to economic loss, counterfeit pharmaceuticals or pharmaceutical packages containing harmful materials can endanger human life.
Packaged products shipped domestically and internationally are in the custody of many different parties before reaching the final seller or buyer. A product package may leave a factory containing a genuine article and arrive at a retailer containing a counterfeit. If tampering occurs, it is often difficult to determine where in the distribution system it occurred. Close visual inspection of every package at each stage of shipment to insure that all packages are tamper-free is highly problematic in terms of labor costs and shipping delay.
It is desirable to have a packaging and distribution system for delivering tamper-free products. To achieve this, the distribution system should facilitate quick detection and elimination of counterfeit or tampered products. If this were currently possible, product tampering would be deterred and economic losses would be reduced. Reduced product tampering would also increase consumer confidence in product integrity and reliability.
Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.